A Fox Preaching to Geese at Osbournby

The medieval bench-ends of the church of SS Peter and Paul at Osbournby, Lincolnshire, depict some interesting scenes. Predictably, there is St George slaying a dinosaur, and Adam & Eve falling from grace. A terrifying-looking judge (or he an angel or a demon?) with monstrously large hands and a skull-like face looks out grimly.

On a fourth, a fox or a wolf, sitting inside an eggcup pulpit (just at the top of my imperfect picture, below) preaches to a gaggle of geese. This is a surprisingly popular motif among the medieval woodcarvers; seeing that vast and monolithic Roman Church control nearly every aspect of life while preaching virtue to the poor inspired some joiners to offer veiled criticism of its clergy. Foxes attack fowl, though geese, I think, might give them a run for their money. From perverted, corrupted and worldly-minded preachers and pastors, Good Lord, deliver us.